AU774173B2

AU774173B2 - Air freshening apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU774173B2
Application number: AU75617/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Petrus Henricus Aloysius Nicolaas Kuhn
Original assignee: Sara Lee DE NV
Current assignee: Sara Lee DE NV
Priority date: 1999-09-16
Filing date: 2000-09-15
Publication date: 2004-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-15
Also published as: ZA200202033B; DE60003051D1; AU7561700A; NO20021278L; EA003239B1; AR026161A1; NO20021278D0; EA200200372A1; HUP0202761A2; PT1216063E; CZ2002926A3; WO2001019418A1; MXPA02002740A; BR0014026A; ES2199863T3; JP2003509127A; ATE241390T1; EP1216063B1; TW555573B; PL353800A1

Description

P \OPER\SgQ2522700 spc doc.0504/O4 -1- Air freshening apparatus The present invention relates to an apparatus comprising a reservoir with a wick, which reservoir can be filled with a fuel, particularly with lamp oil and comprising a separate holder for an active component.

FR-A-1 139 960 discloses an oil lamp having an reservoir for fuel in which a wick is provided. Above the wick a holder for a fumigation substance, e.g. to fumigate insects, is provided. The bottom of the holder is directly heated by the hot burning gases which rise from the flame.

FR-A-2 510 410 discloses a electric lamp bulb with a holder for perfume. Air, which is heated by the electric lamp bulb is led to a wick which is placed in the perfume which is in the holder. Consequently, the perfume is evaporated through .the wick more efficiently by the heated air which is flowing ge* along the wick.

891 400 shows a candle container with a surrounding open top container for receiving and holding a gel containing a vaporizable or diffusable substance that passes e from the gel into the surrounding atmosphere after exposure 25 to the thermal energy from the lighted candle.

Dutch patent application NL-A-10.06055 discloses an apparatus in which the reservoir is filled with a mixture of a lamp fuel and an active component, such as a fragrance, which mixture is absorbed by a wick. The upper part of the wick is surrounded by a heat conducting bushlike element P OPER\Sg2522700 spi doc-01104104 -2with openings via which the fragrance evaporates during burning. A shield is present to prevent the evaporated fragrance entering into the flame and getting burned.

A disadvantage of a mixture of lamp fuel and fragrance is that the composition of the mixture will not be constant due to a different evaporating rate and to a certain evaporating of the fragrance during the period that the apparatus is not in use, i. e. is not burning.

The purpose of the invention is to improve the known apparatus, particularly with respect to the above disadvantage. Therefore, according to the invention, the air freshening apparatus as described in the preamble is •oo 15 characterized in that the apparatus is an air freshening ooe: apparatus further comprising heat conducting means for heat transport from the wick, when burning, to the separate holder for the active component, such as a fragrance, the heat conducting means comprising a metal element which is mounted in the vicinity of the wick at such a distance that, when the wick is burning, the flame heats the metal element.

gee• In a first preferred embodiment the reservoir is provided with a lid holding the wick and with a lamp glass thereabove S 25 while in the lamp glass there is mounted a metal element, which forms part of the heat conducting means. In this embodiment the metal element can be mounted in the lamp glass in the vicinity of, particularly above the location of the wick, when burning.

From a constructional point of view the holder can form an integral part of the apparatus. Also the holder can form an P.'OPERSg.2522700 Spcci.do-OI/004 -3integral part of the lamp glass. Further at least part of the holder can form part of the heat conducting means.

In a further embodiment the holder is replaceable, while the apparatus is provided with connecting means to connect the holder to the apparatus. In that embodiment at least part of the connecting means or at least part of a contact surface between the holder and the apparatus can form part of the heat conducting means.

The holder can be provided with a porous wick to transport the active component out of the holder. Also the holder can be provided with one or more openings in the upper part thereof via which openings the active component can evaporate. In stead of a porous material, the wick, particularly the wick in the holder, can be formed by a capillary element. Further, the holder can also be provided with a liquid permeable closing element, via which the active component is received by a carrier element, which carrier element can form part of the heat conducting means co and serves as an evaporator.

The invention not only relates to an air freshening :apparatus, but also to a combination of the above described 0e eo 25 air freshening apparatus and a holder for an active component, such as a fragrance.

The invention also relates to a holder for an active component, such as a fragrance, when used for the above described air freshening apparatus.

P.\OPER\S g \2S22700 pi.doc.-O I/04/04 -4- The invention will now be described with reference to the enclosed drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the air freshening apparatus according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of such an air freshening apparatus.

The first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention as shown in fig. 1 comprises a reservoir 1, which is filled with lamp fuel 2 and is closed by a lid 3. Through an opening in the lid 3 a wick 4 is inserted into the lamp fuel in the reservoir 1. A lamp glass 5 is placed on the top of the lid 3. A separate holder 6, filled with an active component 7, such as a fragrance, is provided. In the 15 embodiment shown, the holder 6 forms an integral part of the lamp glass 5. Through an opening in the upper part of the ooo. holder 6 a wick 8 is inserted into the active component 7 in the holder 6. In the lamp glass 5 a metal element 9 is mounted in the vicinity of the wick 4, particularly above 20 the wick 4 at such a distance that, when the wick is burning, the flame heats the metal element 9. Heat oo• conducting means are formed by the metal part 5 and at least oo• S..r part of the contact surface 10 between the holder 6 and the lamp glass Particularly, part of the contact surface 10 can be a metal part connected to the metal element 9. When the wick 4 is burning, heat is conducted from the metal element 9 and at least part of the contact surface 10 to the active component 7 in the holder 6, with the consequence that the active component is evaporated via the wick 8.

V

OfERS 0 Sg\25222?2)U spi doc-O 10-04.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, in which a reservoir 11, filled with a lamp fuel 12 is closed by a heat conducting plug 13. Through an opening in the plug 13 a wick 14 is inserted. A separate holder 15, filled with an active component 16, such as a fragrance, is replaceable mounted on a side surface of the reservoir 11, e. g. by clamping means 17. Through the open end of the holder 15 a wick 18 is inserted. The wick 18 reaches out of a bushlike element 19, which is mounted above the opening of the holder 15. The bushlike element 19 is connected is provided with a projection 21, which reaches to above the plug 13 and forms with the plug 13 heat conducting means. When the wick 14 is burning, heat is conducted :O through the plug 13 and the bushlike element 19 to the active component 16 in the holder 15, with the consequence that the active component is evaporated via the wick 18. A shield 20 is provided to prevent the evaporated e active component entering into the flame and getting burned.

It will be clear that the invention is not restricted to the preferred embodiments shown in the figures.

0000 Particularly, it will be clear to the skilled man that many o: alternatives exist for performing the function of the 00 25 apparatus discussed. So, the form and size of the reservoir, 0000 the holder and the lamp can arbritray chosen. Taking into the heat generated by burning of lamp fuel several, preferably transparent materials can be used; however, the heat conducting means will be of metal.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word ,comprise", P.\OPER\Sgw'2522700 spcci doc-01/044 -6and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

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Claims

4. An air freshening apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder forms an integral part of the apparatus.
5. An air freshening apparatus according to claim 2 and 4, wherein the holder forms an integral part of the lamp glass. P:WOPER\Sg 2S22700 spai.dm-01104/04 -8-
6. An air freshening apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least part of the holder forms part of the heat conducting means.
7. An air freshening apparatus according to anyone of the claims 1-3, wherein the holder is replaceable and that the apparatus is provided with connecting means to connect the holder to the apparatus.
8. An air freshening apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least part of the connecting means or at least part of a contact surface between the holder and the apparatus forms part of the heat conducting means.
9. An air freshening apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder is provided with a porous wick to transport the active component out of the holder.
10. An air freshening apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims 1-8, wherein the holder is provided with one or more openings in the upper part thereof via which openings the active component can evaporate. S 25 11. Combination of an air freshening apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 and a holder for an active component, such as a fragrance.
12. A holder for an active component, such as a fragrance, when used for an air freshening apparatus according to claim 7 or 8. P.\OPER\Sgw\2522700 spci.doc-01/04/04 -9-
13. An air freshening apparatus as substantially herein described with reference to the drawings. DATED this 1 st day of APRIL, 2004 Sara Lee/DE N.V. by DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the applicant(s) go *O ooo •go ooo o